Brazillian photographer and fine artist Roberto Silva was always passionate about photography, despite working as a systems analyst for many years. He started to dedicate himself to his craft more diligently after discovering the intense saturated colors he could capture with fuji Velvia 50 film. Upon retiring from his career outside of art, he took photography classes and learned through notable mentors. He has since been touring Brazilian culture, capturing scenes of religious and folkloric parties. His work is inspired by the local culture of different regions of Brazil, which is a form of individualization in the face of an increasingly globalized culture that we experience today.

His main focuses are street photography, capturing the people and scenes of Brazilian people, and nature photography, isolating images of the colorful, lush Brazilian environment. His methods include first hand photographic imagery, as well as post processing, mainly making black and white photos and transforming his photos into digital paintings. Most recently, he has been exploring his eye with black and white photography. With an understanding of the vast influences on Brazil by European colonization, import of enslaved African people, and a century of immigration and mobilization, his work aims to elevate his culture’s value, and engage it in a broader, global context. He states, “We all have a unique and beautiful culture that we must preserve, encourage and be proud of.”